Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of spatial distribution and aging of ZVI on the reactivity of resin–ZVI composites for arsenite removal

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A zero-valent iron (ZVI)–resin composite (D201–ZVI) has been proven as an effective arsenic removal material. Here, the effect of ZVI distribution and aging on the reactivity of the hybrid composite was investigated by comparing the As(III) removal performances of freshly synthesized and aged D201–ZVI composites. The ZVI distribution and structures of these composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer (SEM-EDX). After aging in aerated water for 96 h, the ZVI distribution in the aged composites did not change significantly, which was confirmed by SEM-EDX. However, the Fe0 content decreased as the aging time increased. Among the as-prepared composites with variant ZVI distributions, the hybrids with more uniform ZVI distribution exhibited higher removal efficiency and faster reaction rate. Experimental results show that the D201–ZVI gradually lost reactivity with an increase in aging time from 24 to 96 h. The effects of aging time on the speciation of As suggest that the reduced As(III) removal efficiency was attributable to the decrease of the Fe0 content. Furthermore, the importance of the ZVI distribution is proposed to explain the aging effect.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  1. Kim H, Hong HJ, Jung J, Kim SH, Yang JW (2010) Degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) by nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) immobilized in alginate bead. J Hazard Mater 176:1038–1043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Kang SH, Choi W (2009) Oxidative degradation of organic compounds using zero-valent iron in the presence of natural organic matter serving as an electron shuttle. Environ Sci Technol 43:878–883

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Yin W, Wu J, Li P, Wang X, Zhu N, Wu P, Yang B (2012) Experimental study of zero-valent iron induced nitrobenzene reduction in groundwater: the effects of pH, iron dosage, oxygen and common dissolved anions. Chem Eng J 184:198–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Klausen J, Ranke J, Schwarzenbach RP (2001) Influence of solution composition and column aging on the reduction of nitroaromatic compounds by zero-valent iron. Chemosphere 44:511–517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chang SH, Wang KS, Chao SJ, Peng TH, Huang LC (2009) Degradation of azo and anthraquinone dyes by a low-cost Fe0/air process. J Hazard Mater 166:1127–1133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. He C, Yang J, Zhu L, Zhang Q, Liao W, Liu S, Liao Y, Abou Asi M, Shu D (2013) pH-dependent degradation of acid orange II by zero-valent iron in presence of oxygen. Sep Purif Technol 117:59–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Shi LN, Zhang X, Chen ZL (2011) Removal of Chromium (VI) from wastewater using bentonite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron. Water Res 45:886–892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhang X, Lin S, Chen Z, Megharaj M, Naidu R (2011) Kaolinite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron for removal of Pb2+ from aqueous solution: reactivity, characterization and mechanism. Water Res 45:3481–3488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Biterna M, Arditsoglou A, Tsikouras E, Voutsa D (2007) Arsenate removal by zero valent iron: batch and column tests. J Hazard Mater 149:548–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Klas S, Kirk DW (2013) Advantages of low pH and limited oxygenation in arsenite removal from water by zero-valent iron. J Hazard Mater 252–253:77–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Suzuki T, Moribe M, Oyama Y, Niinae M (2012) Mechanism of nitrate reduction by zero-valent iron: equilibrium and kinetics studies. Chem Eng J 183:271–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang Y, Li Y, Li J, Hu L, Zheng X (2011) Enhanced removal of nitrate by a novel composite: nanoscale zero valent iron supported on pillared clay. Chem Eng J 171:526–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Shimizu A, Tokumura M, Nakajima K, Kawase Y (2012) Phenol removal using zero-valent iron powder in the presence of dissolved oxygen: roles of decomposition by the Fenton reaction and adsorption/precipitation. J Hazard Mater 201:60–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Xie L, Shang C (2007) The effects of operational parameters and common anions on the reactivity of zero-valent iron in bromate reduction. Chemosphere 66:1652–1659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hwang YH, Kim DG, Shin HS (2011) Mechanism study of nitrate reduction by nano zero valent iron. J Hazard Mater 185:1513–1521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Katsoyiannis IA, Ruettimann T, Hug SJ (2008) pH dependence of Fenton reagent generation and As(III) oxidation and removal by corrosion of zero valent iron in aerated water. Environ Sci Technol 42:7424–7430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Keenan CR, Sedlak DL (2008) Factors affecting the yield of oxidants from the reaction of nanoparticulate zero-valent iron and oxygen. Environ Sci Technol 42:1262–1267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Liu Y, Lowry GV (2006) Effect of particle age (Fe0 content) and solution pH on NZVI reactivity: H2 evolution and TCE dechlorination. Environ Sci Technol 40:6085–6090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sarathy V, Tratnyek PG, Nurmi JT, Baer DR, Amonette JE, Chun CL, Penn RL, Reardon EJ (2008) Aging of iron nanoparticles in aqueous solution: effects on structure and reactivity. J Phys Chem C 112:2286–2293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Xie Y, Cwiertny DM (2012) Influence of anionic cosolutes and pH on nanoscale zerovalent iron longevity: time scales and mechanisms of reactivity loss toward 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane and Cr(VI). Environ Sci Technol 46:8365–8373

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kim HS, Kim T, Ahn JY, Hwang KY, Park JY, Lim TT, Hwang I (2012) Aging characteristics and reactivity of two types of nanoscale zero-valent iron particles (FeBH and FeH2) in nitrate reduction. Chem Eng J 197:16–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Jiang Z, Zhang S, Pan B, Wang W, Wang X, Lv L, Zhang W, Zhang Q (2012) A fabrication strategy for nanosized zero valent iron (nZVI)-polymeric anion exchanger composites with tunable structure for nitrate reduction. J Hazard Mater 233–234:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Jiang ZM, Lv L, Zhang WM, Du Q, Pan BC, Yang L, Zhang QX (2011) Nitrate reduction using nanosized zero-valent iron supported by polystyrene resins: role of surface functional groups. Water Res 45:2191–2198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Du Q, Zhang SJ, Pan BC, Lv L, Zhang WM, Zhang QX (2013) Bifunctional resin–ZVI composites for effective removal of arsenite through simultaneous adsorption and oxidation. Water Res 47:6064–6074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sun YP, Li X, Cao J, Zhang W, Wang HP (2006) Characterization of zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 120:47–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Idakiev V, Tabakova T, Tenchev K, Yuan ZY, Ren TZ, Su BL (2007) Gold nanoparticles supported on ceria-modified mesoporous titania as highly active catalysts for low-temperature water-gas shift reaction. Catal Today 128:223–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Gašparovičová D, Králik M, Hronec M, Vallušová Z, Vinek H, Corain B (2007) Supported Pd–Cu catalysts in the water phase reduction of nitrates: functional resin versus alumina. J Mol Catal A 264:93–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhu BW, Lim TT (2007) Catalytic reduction of chlorobenzenes with Pd/Fe nanoparticles: reactive sites, catalyst stability, particle aging, and regeneration. Environ Sci Technol 41:7523–7529

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was supported by NSFC (51178214), Jiangsu NSF (BK2012017), and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of China (NCET10-0490).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People’s Republic of China

    Qiong Du, Shujuan Zhang, Bingcai Pan, Lu Lv, Weiming Zhang & Quanxing Zhang

  2. National Engineering Center for Organic Pollution Control and Resource Reuse (Suzhou Division), Suzhou High-Tech Institute of Nanjing University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China

    Bingcai Pan, Lu Lv & Weiming Zhang

Authors
  1. Qiong Du
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shujuan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bingcai Pan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lu Lv
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Weiming Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Quanxing Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Shujuan Zhang or Weiming Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Du, Q., Zhang, S., Pan, B. et al. Effect of spatial distribution and aging of ZVI on the reactivity of resin–ZVI composites for arsenite removal. J Mater Sci 49, 7073–7079 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8412-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8412-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation